Safety apparatus for railway rolling stock



July 17, 1923.

H. S. VOTAW SAFETY APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK Filed Aug. 10, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 MIA/8858 A TTOR/VEVS July 17, 1923.

H. S. VOTAW SAFETY APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK Filed Aug.

1 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l/Vl/E/VTOI? H. s. vo Aw.

WITNESSES A TTOHNEYS I July.17,, 1923.

v 1,462,254 H. s. VOTAW SAFETY APPARATUS FQR RAILWAY ROLLING STOCK Filed Aug. 10, 1922 :s Sheeis-Sheetl 5 INVENTOI? H S VQTA W.

ATTOPNEYQ s'rres HOMER SPELLMAN VO'IAW, F CHOPAKA, WASHING'IGN.

SAFETY; AFPTUS FOR RAILWAY ROLLING STUCK.

Application filed August a, 1922. serial No. 580,975.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Homer SPELIMAN Vo'rAW, a citizen of the United States, and

a resident of Chopaka, in the count of Okanogan and Stateof Washington, ave invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Safety Apparatus for Railway Rolling Stock, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in safety apparatus for railway rolling stock.

lhe object of the invention is to provide a safety apparatus of this character which stock and which serves as a derailing guard in that it prevents the cars or trucks from leaving the railway and which also serves to apply the brakes when the car wheels leave the rails and thereby stopping the train.

Another object is to provide a safety apparatus of this character which is so organized and constructed as not to interfere with the normal operation of the rolling stock.

5 A still further object is to provide a safety apparatus of this character which is of simple and durable construction, reliable in operation and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and apply.

Other objects and advantages of'the invention reside in certain novel features ofthe construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompan ing drawings forming part of this speci cation and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a car truck, illustrating one embodiment ofthe invention;

Figure 2 is a view in section, taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a similar view on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4: of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 6 is a view in section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view in front elevation, looking to the right in Figure 5;

Figure e is a fragmentary view in side is a similar view on line H is organized with the trucks of the rolling elevation of another ernhodiment the inventlon;

Figure 9 is a view, showing in transverse section the embodiment illustrated in Figure 8.

Referring to the drawings wherein for the sake of illustration the invention is shown embodied in a box car, the numeral 10 designates the body of the car which is mounted in the usual manner upon trucks .11. At each end and at each side the truck frame is provided with frame extensions 12. bruard axles or shafts 13 extend trmiaversely between the extensions 12 and preferably are arranged close up against the car wheels and above the rails of the track, these guard shafts having journals a rotatably mounted in bearings 15 supported in the frame extension 12. The upper portions of the bearings 15 are movabie and these movable bearing portions 16 are engaged by one end of a heavy coil spring 17, the other end of which engages the top of the frame extension 12. Stop shoulders 18 are formed on the frame extensions and limit the upward movement of the movable portions 16.

A flat bar 20 extends between the frame extensions 12 at each end of the truck and is rigidlysecured or fastened to these ex-' tensions. This bar 20 braces the extensions and reinforces the entire apparatus. One of the bars 20 carries an angle bar 21 and the other bar 20 carries a plow 22 and the angle bar 21 and the plow 22 are supported on the bars 20 so as to be capable of limited" vertical movement as will hereinafter be more fully described. The carrier bar 20 is not only rigidly fastened to the frame ex tension 12 but it also has a bearing upon the guard shaft 13, this bearing being indicated generally at 23 and preferably taking substantially the same construction as the bearings 15.

In order to hold the point of the plow 22 up and also to maintain or hold the trucks 3% in a forward course in the event of derailment a pair of chains 24 are provided and are secured to the plow point, as at 25, and then diver e from each other and are secured to t e car body as indicated at 26 W5 and 27 in Figure 3.

Means is provided for setting the brakes when the car is derailed and preferably comprises an operating bar 39 mounted in between the car wheels and extending trans- W? versely of the track so as to be susceptible of engagement with the rails thereof upon dera1 ment of the car. This bar is supported in clips 31 carried by resilient shields 32 supported by resilient metallic elements 33 from the truck frame and normally held from spreading by bolts 34 extending between the diverging wings 32 of the shield 32. The shields" 32 and the bolts 34 are of such strength as to be adapted to resist or-- dinary strains or impacts but when the car 4 is derailed the wings 32 'of the shield 32 are spread and the bolts 34 snapped or broken so as to permit the bar 30 to come into contact or engagement with the rails and be moved upwardly thereby. Angular arms 35 are carried by the bar 30 and have a pin and slot connection, as at 36 with the crank arms 37 of the crank shaft 38. The crank shaft 38 is provided with a third crank 39 angularly spaced from the cranks 37 and connected by a link or arm 40 to operating arm 41 of a brake valve 42 incorporated in the train line 43. Obviously, when the bar 30 is moved upwardly by engagement with the rails upon derailment of the car the valve 42 is operated to bleed the train line and apply the brakes.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 5 to 7, the numeral designates the car body and the numeral 51 the car truck, the arch bars of the frame of which are provided with extensions 52. Guard axles or shafts 54 are provided as in the other embodiment of the invention and are rotatably journaled in hearings or 'boxings carried by the extensions 52 and including movable bearing portions 56 engaged with the top of the journal of the axles or shafts 54. Heavy coil springs 57 engage the movable portions 56 and the boxing and may be held in position by means of stop shoulders 58 which extend into the opening of the coil spring to hold it in position and which are engageable with each other to limit the upward movement of the portion 56 of the bearing.

As in the other embodiment of the invention cross bars 60 extend between and are secured to opposed extensions of the arch bar and carry an angle bar 61 at one end of the truck and a plow 62 at the other end of the truck. Safety chains 63 identical in all respects with the chains 24 of the pre vious embodiment coact with the plow to hold its point up and to maintain and guide the truck on a straight and forward coursei The plow and the angle bar are both mounted on the cross,bars 60 for limited vertical movement. The arrangement which supports these elements and yet permits of the vertical movement desired is the same in all embodiments of the invention and is shown in detail in connection with the angle bar in Figure 7 and includes elongated slots 64 provided in the vertical flange of the angle bar reeaaea and bolts 65 extend through these slots and are carried by the cross bars 60. If desired the extensions 52 of the arch bars may be disposed to projectbeyond the boxings 55 and may be provided with vertical grooves which receive the ends of the vertical plate or flange of the angle bar or plow.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 5 to 7, the means for setting the brake is organized with a derailment guard and includes a transverse pipe 66 extending across the truck frame and mounted thereon, as at 67. the transverse pipe being connected to the train line 68 by means of a flexible pipe 69. A brake valve 70 is incorporated in the pipe 66 and is provided with an operating arm 71 connected by a link 72 with :1. lug or lateral arm 73 integrally formed with or secured to the movable portion 56 of the bearing 55. It is obvious that when the car is derailed and the weight of the car is taken by the safety guard or axle 54 the spring 57 will be compressed, the movable portion 56 of the bearing moving upwardly during the compression of the spring and until the stop shoulders 58 come into engagement. This upward movement of the bearing portion 56 operates the brake valve 70 to bleed the train line and set the brakes.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 8 and 9 is especially adapted for application to a rigid frame such as employed. on a locomotive, gasoline motor car, inspcc tion small car or similar equipment. In this form of the invention the rigid car frame is designated at 75 and de )ending from this car frame are bearing brac ets 76 in which the boxing 77 for the guard shafts or axles 78 are mounted. Means is provided for setting the brakes and is similar to the means shown in Figures 5 and 6 including as before a transverse pipe, designated at 79 and adapted to be connected with the train line in the same manner that the pipe 66 of the embodi- Inent shown in Figs. 5-7 (see especially Fig. 6) is connected to its train line. The transverse pipe embodies valves 80 operated from the movable portions of the bearings by motion transmission mechanism designated at 81. embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 8 and 9 the ends of the guard axles project beyond the bearings, which feature is not incorporated in the other embodiments.

guard shaft or axle carries retaining flanges or ribs, these retaining flanges or ribs being designated at 13 in Figures 3 and 4, 54 in Figure 6 and '78 in Figure 9. lVhile these retaining flanges are shown arranged in pairs, one pair being provided for each rail, it is obvious that the outer member of each pair may be omitted leaving only one flange engaged with one side of each rail. Also the It is to be noted that in the f.

In all embodiments of the invention the H lianges may be omitted and the shafts constructed to carry spools, the spools hav ng Vhile I have herein shown and described three embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein set forth, since various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may movable portion, coil springs coacting with the movable portions of the bearings for holding them in engagement with the shafts and stop means for limiting the movement 'of the movable portions of said bearing.

2. In a safety apparatus for railway rolling stock, a truck frame having extensions, rotatable shafts engageable with the rails upon derailment of the car, bearings for said shafts carried by said truck extensions, cross bars extending between said frame extensions and secured thereto, an angle bar mounted onone of said cross bars and a plow mounted on the other of said crossbars.

3. In a safety apparatus for railway roll ing stock, a truck frame having extensions, rotatable shafts engageable with the rails upon derailment of the car, bearings for said shafts carried by said truck extensions, cross bars extending between said frame extensions and secured thereto, and vertically movable protective devices carried by said cross bar.

4. In a safety apparatus for railway rolling stock, a truck frame having extensions, rotatablev shafts engageable with the rails upon derailment of the car, bearings for said shafts carried by said truck extensions, cross bars extending between said frame extensions'and secured thereto vertically movable protective devices'carried by said cross bar, and a pair of safety chains coacting with one of said protected devices for mamtaining the truck on a straight and forward course.

5. In a safety apparatus for railway rolling stock, a car truck having a frame, a rotatable shaft engageable with the rails for supporting the car upon derailment thereof, bearings for said shafts supported upon the car frame, said bearings having movable portions and brake setting means controlled by the movable portions of said bearings.

6. A safety apparatus for railway rolling stock embodying a rigid frame and comprising bracket bearings, rotatable shafts mounted in said bearings and engageable upon the rails for supporting thecar up'on derailment thereof, said shafts being adapted to partake of a limited movement, spring means for resiliently resisting the movement of said shafts, and brake setting means actuated by movement of said shafts.

7. A safety apparatus .for railway rolling stock embodying a car truck and comprisin rotatable shafts carried by the car truck an engageable with the rails upon derailment of the car, said shafts having a pair of flanges engageable with either side of the rails.

8. A safety apparatus for railway rolling stock embodying a car truck and comprising rotatable shafts carried b the car truck and engageable with the rai upon derailment of the car, bearings for said shafts including a movable portion, and brake setting means including a transversely extending pipe, a brake setting valve incorporated in said pipe, motion transmission means between said brake setting valve and the movable ortion 'of said bearing whereby said valve is operated when said bearing portion moves, and a flexible pipe connected with the transverse pipe and adapted to be connected to the train line.

HOMER SPELLMAN VOTAW. 

